HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

we were very disappointed in this film. It was a weak and unimaginative replay of the first one.

It started out with promise. Snow (all the characters were back; including the hilarious campy hunger games master-of-ceremonies (Stanley Tucci)  and the brilliantly groomed, dressed and made up Elizabeth Banks playing Effie. Effie is sort of the media manager for Katniss and Peeta. Effie's costumes and hair styles are so much fun to look at. ok back to Snow; he wanted to keep Katniss alive and the phony story of her romance with Peeta as sort of a 'wag the dog' technique; get the masses to be involved with their story and they will forget how miserable they are and the burgeoning uprising in the Districts.

But Snow is also teaming with the new gameskeeper and gradually comes to realize that he's got to kill Katniss because she is openly revolting now and showing that her sympathies are with the masses.

So this introductory theme gets expanded and the preparation for another Hunger game goes on and all that is interesting. But once the 'games' start it becomes dull. no clever hide and seek action; just monsters and monkeys and a lot of Katniss almost dying and then worse of the worst, she starts having emotional feelings toward Peeta and there is some kissy-face scenes; UGH.

Everything remains stagnant feeling and the supposedly surprising twist (revealing people who are really on the opposite political side) is yawn inducing. The film ends with a perfect setup for the next film which i think we will just skip.

I rated it a 7 and bill gave it a 6.